China’s government appealed to U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday to avoid a “trade war” ahead of what the White House says is a possible announcement of an investigation into whether China is stealing U.S. technology.

An official told reporters the president would order his trade office on Monday to look into whether to launch an investigation under Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 of possible Chinese theft of U.S. technology and intellectual property.

“There is no future and no winner in a trade war and both sides will be the losers. As we have emphasized for many times, the nature of China-U.S. trade relations is mutual benefit and win-win,” said a foreign ministry spokeswoman, Hua Chunying.

“Considering the importance of the China-U.S. relations, China is willing to make joint efforts with the United States to keep trade and economic relations on sustained, healthy and stable development on the basis of mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit,” Hua said.

Earlier Monday, a state newspaper, the China Daily, said Trump’s possible decision to launch an investigation could “intensify tensions,” especially over intellectual property.

BEDMINSTER, N.J. — Even as he seeks Beijing’s help on North Korea, President Donald Trump asked his trade office on Monday to consider investigating China for the alleged theft of American technology and intellectual property. …

DONALD J. TRUMP’S VISION

Donald J. Trump’s 7 Point Plan To Rebuild the American Economy by Fighting for Free Trade

1. Withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which has not yet been ratified.

2. Appoint tough and smart trade negotiators to fight on behalf of American workers.

3. Direct the Secretary of Commerce to identify every violation of trade agreements a foreign country is currently using to harm our workers, and also direct all appropriate agencies to use every tool under American and international law to end these abuses.

4. Tell NAFTA partners that we intend to immediately renegotiate the terms of that agreement to get a better deal for our workers. If they don’t agree to a renegotiation, we will submit notice that the U.S. intends to withdraw from the deal. Eliminate Mexico’s one-side backdoor tariff through the VAT and end sweatshops in Mexico that undercut U.S. workers.

6. Instruct the U.S. Trade Representative to bring trade cases against China, both in this country and at the WTO. China’s unfair subsidy behavior is prohibited by the terms of its entrance to the WTO.

7. Use every lawful presidential power to remedy trade disputes if China does not stop its illegal activities, including its theft of American trade secrets – including the application of tariffs consistent with Section 201 and 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 and Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/policies/trade/ accessed 12/21/16

Trade disputes are likely to be a factor that will lead to World War III.

China, itself, would like to dominate the world. Its Silk Road project is intended to help it do so. This project could allow China to dominate Eurasian trade more than it already has as well as make it less vulnerable to economic and other threats by the USA. BBC reported:

China calls it the project of the century – a massive roll-out of Chinese-built infrastructure to remake the map of the global economy with China at its heart.

Some see this new Silk Road as an opportunity, others as a power grab. …

Wu Xiaodong remembers the day he joined the railway. It was 1983. China had a mere 1% of world trade and, aged 17, his own ambitions went no further than a free uniform and a free train ride.

“Our trains were like tractors. We were running a steam railway.”

Now China is the world’s number one trading nation and he’s proud to be a foot soldier on President Xi Jinping’s new Silk Road. …

Chinese emperors once claimed to rule all under heaven. With the US retreating from global leadership on free trade, President Xi has seized his chance. …

Beijing’s vision is about much, much more than a railway. It’s about roads, pipelines, ports, industrial zones and shipping routes. China is promising to spend almost $1trn on infrastructure to boost trade. …

India and Japan see a plan to embed Chinese money and muscle across three continents, to take control of strategic ports and amass geopolitical influence. So when China uses the phrase “Silk Road” it is a subtle reminder of traders who came not with gunboats at their back but with laden camel trains. …

China is counting on the Silk Road to become a magnet for the domestic travel industry. …

Biblically, I do not believe that it will take a century to see the significance of the Silk Road project, which is also called the One Belt, One Road project.

Before getting to how this project seems to tie in with biblical prophecy, notice something reported in the German press:

During talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the fringes of the recent G20 summit in Hamburg, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed Tokyo’s intention to participate in Beijing’s ambitious “One Belt, One Road” economic plan, a significant concession from a government that had previously distanced itself from Chinese economic and development initiatives.

Analysts say that while the Japanese leader is hoping for a windfall for domestic companies, he also recognizes that Japan simply cannot afford to be left out of a growing international project without any say in its future direction. Yet another motivation is to pressure President Donald Trump’s administration to re-engage with its longstanding allies in the Asia-Pacific region instead of permitting China to seize the initiative.

The grand One Belt, One Road project is a combination of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, and is designed to promote connectivity and cooperation among Eurasian nations via land and sea. The project demonstrates China’s quest to play a larger role in global affairs and coordinate manufacturing throughout the region. …

Previously, Japan had been reluctant to commit to the plan. For years, it has provided development assistance and loans to many of the signatories to China’s belt plan and now it fears its aid is being eclipsed. …

“The ‘One Belt, One Road’ scheme is a cause for concern for Japan on several levels,” said Stephen Nagy, a senior associate professor of international relations at Tokyo’s International Christian University.

“If Japan does not take part, then it will lose out on infrastructure development projects that will then be monopolized by Chinese companies,” he told DW. “Some huge numbers are being suggested in terms of the investment and if Japanese firms only get five percent of that work it will still be a big bonus to them. …

“Tokyo is sending a signal to Washington that it is willing and able to diversify its relationships in the region and that it is not relying solely on the US any more,” Nagy said. …

Those who have thought that Japan would always be tied more to the USA than China have overlooked biblical prophecies (cf. Revelation 16:12-16). Changes in the world are taking place.

China’s ambitions are immense. It intends to build roads to the Middle East and elsewhere. The ‘Silk Road’ project of China expects to increase China’s influence in Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and even Africa.

Hence, it is hoping to somehow minimize the impact of whatever the Trump Administration actually does.

China is really concerned that a trade war will hurt it and its ambitions.

The Bible tells us that the power that will dominate trade later this century is not China or the USA, but Europe (cf. Revelation 18). The rhetoric of the Trump Administration has already pushed the Chinese to talk more with the Europeans. This latest announcement from the Trump Administration will likely accelerate that push.